Fire hose nozzle

ABSTRACT

A fire hose nozzle composed of a hollow handgrip portion and a rotatable nose section providing for the choice of any of a plurality of different sized jet. The handgrip portion has an offset enlarged end with a flat transverse face mounting a threaded stud and having an offset supply port connected with the interior of the handgrip portion. The nose section is mounted upon the stud and selectively tightened down by a nut onto the transverse face through a flat sealing washer of synthetic polymeric material to ensure a liquid-tight seal while permitting rotation of the casing.

United States Patent Clark 1 1 Dec. 5, 1972 I54] FIRE HOSE NOZZLE [72]Inventor: William Clark, Liverpool, New

South Wales, Australia [73] Assignee: B. F. Products Pty. Ltd.,Burnwood,

New South Wales, Australia [22 Filed: Feb. 23, 1911 2| Appl. No.:118.130

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 29, 1970 Australia..PA0428/70 [52] U.S. C1 ..239/394, 277/81 [51] Int. Cl ..A62c 31/02[58] Field of Search ..239/390, 394, 436, 437, 451, 239/392, 393;277/16, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 81;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,094,283 6/1963 Balister..239/394 R 2,592,082 4/1952 Trumpler ............277/74 1,256,2152/1918 Eycleshymer ..277/81 X 151,823 6/1874 Baldwin ..239/392 464,33512/1891 Scott ..239/394 630,468 8/1899 Quayle ..239/394 X 2,132,33310/1938 Wendell et a1. ..239/394 2,388,093 10/0945 Smith ....239/3942,790,680 4/1957 Rosholt ....239/394 3,558,061 1/1971 Hansen ..239/394FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2,641 11/1890 Switzerland ..239/3945,222 2/1904 Great Britain ..239/394 128,693 6/1950 Sweden 239/394Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Assistant Examiner-Michael Y. MarAttorney-Kimmel, Crowell & Weaver 1571 ABSTRACT A fire hose nozzlecomposed of a hollow handgrip portion and a rotatable nose sectionproviding for the choice of any of a plurality of different sized jet.The handgrip portion has an offset enlarged end with a flat transverseface mounting a threaded stud and having an offset supply port connectedwith the interior of the handgrip portion. The nose section is mountedupon the stud and selectively tightened down by a nut onto thetransverse face through a flat sealing washer of synthetic polymericmaterial to ensure a liquid-tight seal while permitting rotation of thecasing 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED EB 5 I973 SHEET 1 OF 3WILLIAM CLARK mam/M ATTORNEXs PATENTEU DEC 5 I973 SHEET 2 BF 3 PATENTEDDEC 5 I972 SHEET 3 BF 3 FIRE HOSE NOZZLE This invention relates to firehose nozzles and more particularly to such nozzles provided with anadjustable jet.

One form of nozzle of this kind which has hitherto been producedcomprises a hand-held metal base portion on the outer end of which isprovided a rotatable casing. Several different size through jets in thecasing may be moved into and out of register with a water supply port inthe base by rotation of the casing. The casing and the base portions areheld together by a set screw passing through the casing and screwed intoa threaded socket in the base. A sealing washer of synthetic material ispositioned between the casing and the base to effect a fluid-tight sealtherebetween. Sealing against fluid leaks in the assembly is, therefore,dependent upon the degree of insertion of the set screw into itsthreaded socket.

As it is important to maintain ease of rotation of the casing withrespect to the base for variation of available fluid jets from thenozzle, the degree of insertion of the set screw has been found to becritical and it has, therefore, been found necessary to arrange thelength of the set screw and the depth of its threaded socket so that theset screw bottoms therein. The resulting friction between the screw andits socket thereby prevents variation in the screw adjustment withrotation of the casing. it is extremely difficult to achieve andmaintain ready rotation of such a casing while ensuring proof againstleaks and unscrewing of the set screw with casing rotation.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a fire hosenozzle capable of providing a selection of different size fluid jets,which is substantially free from the above defects.

In one general form of the invention there is provided a fire hosenozzle comprising a base portion having a fluid supply port and beingconnectable to the hose or other fluid source, a jet casing rotatablymounted on said base portion and having through jets of differentdimensions movable by rotation of said casing into and out of registerwith said fluid supply port, a threaded stud carried upon the baseportion and protruding through a bore in the casing, a nut threaded uponthe end of the stud to secure rotatable assembly of the casing to thebase portion, and a sealing washer of synthetic polymeric materialbetween the casing and the base portion to render the assemblyleakproof.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the fire hose nozzle of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the nozzle;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the component parts of thenozzle; and,

FIG. 4 is a side elevation in section of the assembled nozzle.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawings the fire hose nozzle consists of a hollow elongated truncatedmetal cone 5 having an adaptor socket 6 at one end for attachment to afire hose, a foam container or to a fluid pump proper and having atapering axial passage 7 extending from the socket 6 to the opposite end8 of the cone 5. An integral offset cylindrical enlargement 9 isprovided at the truncated end of the base in the outer face 10 of whichis medially formed a threaded socket ll. Longitudinal reinforcing andhand-gripping ribs 12 are provided at spaced intervals around the socket6. The outer end surface of the base enlargement 9 is machine-finishedto provide a spigot comprising the flat transversely extending face 10.A metal stud l3 threaded at opposite ends has its mounting end screwedtightly into the threaded socket 11 in the base portion 9.

A cylindrical metal casing 14, preferably die-caste, having an axialbore 15 for insertion over the outer end of the stud 13 is provided witha series of longitudinal jets 16, 17, 18 and 19 of different dimensionsspaced from each other in a circular array around the axial bore 15. Thecasing 14 is provided on its face confronting the machined-surface 10 ofthe base with a cylindrical recess 20 whose floor 21 is similarlymachined flat and parallel to the outer end face 10 of the base portionenlargement 9. Preferably, both confronting faces 10 and 21 have areduced diameter so that mating male and female confronting end portionsare formed in the base 9 and casing 14.

A fluid sealing washer 22 having a series of offset bores 23, arrangedin a circumferentially uniformly spaced array, registerable with theouter end 24 of the tapering passage 7 of the base portion 5, ispositioned between the confronting parallel surfaces 10 and 21 of thecasing 14 and base 5. A self-locking nut 25 when screwed to the outerend of the stud 13 serves to hold the casing 14 to the base enlargement9 with sufficient force to effect fluid seal therebetween whilepermitting manual rotation of the casing 14 with respect to the baseenlargement 9. Keys in the form of longitudinal ribs 26 are provided inthe inner wall of the recess 20 to locate in peripheral radial slots 26Ain the sealing washer 22 and to ensure that it rotates with the casing14. In this way the array of different dimensioned jets 16, 17, 18 and19 in the casing l4 may be moved into and out of register with the end24 of the passage 7 via the appropriate bore 23 in the sealing washer22. One of these jets 19 may be a fog generator. As an altemativeconstruction to the above, the washer 22 may be provided with a singleoffset bore 23 held permanently in register with the passage end 24 bykeying of the washer 22 to the base portion enlargement 9 by pins or thelike engaging in apertures in the washer 22.

The outer periphery of the casing 14 is preferably knurled or providedwith gripping ribs 27 to facilitate its rotation. Preferably, also, theouter face of the easing may be provided with a cylindrical recess 28about its medial bore 11 to accommodate an anti-friction washer 29. Boththis washer 29 and the fluid sealing washer 22 referred to above arecomposed of synthetic polymeric material such as Nylon, Teflon or thelike having anti-frictional and resilient qualities.

It will be seen with this assembly that ready adjustment may be effectedto its tightness so as to maintain good fluid sealing and free rotationof the casing 14 at all times. The self-locking characteristic of thetightening nut 25 will ensure that rotation of the casing 14 does notaffect the tightness of the assembly.

Whereas a specific embodiment has been described in the foregoingpassages it is to be understood that other forms are possible within thescope of this invention.

Whatl claim is:

l. A fire hose comprising a base portion having a frusto conical stem,an offset enlargement on one end of the stem and having a flat end face,a fluid supply passage extending through both the stem and theenlargement and tapering from an adaptor socket at the other end of thestem to said flat end face, a stud with a threaded outer end upstandingfrom the center of said face and spaced from said fluid supply passage,a cylindrical spigot formed on said enlargement and about the flat face,a substantially cylindrical end casing rotatably mounted by a centralbore upon the stud and having a plurality of through jets of differentdimensions spaced in an array around the central bore, a socket in oneend of the casing, a flat sealing washer of synthetic polymeric materiallocated within the socket and keyed to the casing to rotate therewith,said washer being mounted by a central hole over the stud and having anarray of bores each in register with an end of a respective through jetin the casing, and an assembly nut screwed on the end of the stud tohold said spigot in a liquid-tight fashion within said socket andthereby to hold said casing to said base portion while permittingrotation between the casing and the base portion.

2. A fire hose nozzle comprising a base portion having a stern, anoffset enlargement on one end of the stem and having a flat end face, afluid supply passage extending through both the stem and the enlargementand tapering from an adaptor socket at the other end of the stem to saidflat end face, a stud with a threaded outer end upstanding from saidface and spaced from said fluid supply passage, a cylindrical spigotformed on said enlargement and about said flat end face, a substantiallycylindrical end casing rotatably mounted by a central bore upon the studand having a plurality of through jets of different dimensions spaced inan array around the central bore, a socket in one end of the casing, aflat sealing washer of synthetic polymeric material located between thesocket and said end face of the enlargement, said washer being mountedby a central hole over the stud and having at least one bore for register with said fluid supply passage and one of said through jets, andan assembly nut screwed on the end of the stud to hold said spigot in aliquid-tight fashion within said socket and thereby to hold said casingto said base portion while permitting rotation between the casing andthe base portion.

3. A fire hose nozzle according to claim 2, comprising keying means onthe casing locking the sealing washer for rotation therewith, saidsealing washer having a circumferentially spaced array of said boresdisposed around the central hole, each bore being in register with arespective one of the through jets in the casing.

4. A fire hose nozzle according to claim 3, wherein said keying meansare internal longitudinal ribs in the casing engaging in peripheralradial slots in the sealing washer.

5. A fire hose nozzle according to claim 2, comprising a second sealingwasher positioned between the nut and the casing, said casing having arecess surrounding one end of the bore therein and accommodating saidsecond sealing washer.

1. A fire hose comprising a base portion having a frusto conical stem,an offset enlargement on one end of the stem and having a flat end face,a fluid supply passage extending through both the stem and theenlargement and tapering from an adaptor socket at the other end of thestem to said flat end face, a stud with a threaded outer end upstandingfrom the center of said face and spaced from said fluid supply passage,a cylindrical spigot formed on said enlargement and about the flat face,a substantially cylindrical end casing rotatably mounted by a centralbore upon the stud and having a plurality of through jets of differentdimensions spaced in an array around the central bore, a socket in oneend of the casing, a flat sealing washer of synthetic polymeric materiallocated within the socket and keyed to the casing to rotate therewith,said washer being mounted by a central hole over the stud and having anarray of bores each in register with an end of a respective through jetin the casing, and an assembly nut screwed on the end of the stud tohold said spigot in a liquid-tight fashion within said socket andthereby to hold said casing to said base portion while permittingrotation between the casing and the base portion.
 2. A fire hose nozzlecomprising a base portion having a stem, an offset enlargement on oneend of the stem and having a flat end face, a fluid supply passageextending through both the stem and the enlargement and tapering from anadaptor socket at the other end of the stem to said flat end face, astud with a threaded outer end upstanding from said face and spaced fromsaid fluid supply passage, a cylindrical spigot formed on saidenlargement and about said flat end face, a substantially cylindricalend casing rotatably mounted by a central bore upon the stud and havinga plurality of through jets of different dimensions spaced in an arrayaround the central bore, a socket in one end of the casing, a flatsealing washer of synthetic polymeric material located between thesocket and said end face of the enlargement, said washer being mountedby a central hole over the stud and having at least one bore forregister with said fluid supply passage and one of said through jets,and an assembly nut screwed on the end of the stud to hold said spigotin a liquid-tight fashion within said socket and thereby to hold saidcasing to said base portion while permitting rotation between the casingand the base portion.
 3. A fire hose nozzle according to claim 2,comprising keying means on the casing locking the sealing washer forrotation therewith, said sealing washer having a circumferentiallyspaced array of said bores disposed around the central hole, each borebeing in register with a respective one of the through jets in thecasing.
 4. A fire hose nozzle according to claim 3, wherein said keyingmeans are internal longitudinal ribs in the casing engaging inperipheral radial slots in the sealing washer.
 5. A fire hose nozzleaccording to claim 2, comprising a second sealing washer positionedbetween the nut and the casing, said casing having a recess surroundingone end of the bore therein and accommodating said second sealingwasher.